Stake puller



Oct. 12, 1965 H. A. SMITTER ETAL 3,211,240

STAKE PULLER Filed July 1, 1964 K "MINIMUM"!!-WIIMIIIIIII ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent 3,211,240 STAKE FULLER Harry A. Smitter and John H.Smitter, both of 2501 East Beltline NE., Grand Rapids, Mich. Filed July1, 1964, Ser. No. 379,585 8 Claims. (CL 1739tl) This invention relatesto stake pullers. More particularly, this invention relatesto stakepullers of the type especially adapted to remove stakes from the groundwhich have been driven int-o the ground to anchor concrete forms inplace.

Elongated forms such as those utilized to fabricate concrete structuressuch as curbs, sidewalks and the like are anchored and held in positionby means of steel stakes driven into the ground adjacent thereto.Similarly, such stakes are used to hold many other types of forms inposition. These stakes are pounded into the ground by means of a hammerand when their use on a particular job is finished, they are retrievedfrom the ground and reused. It has always been a problem as to just howsuch stakes can be effectively removed from the ground. All too oftenthese stakes are simply pried loose by pounding them until they can bemanually pulled upwardly from the ground. This is extremely difficultwork, being both expensive and time consuming, materially adding to thelabor costs involved in such types of construction work. Many attemptshave been made to provide special types of stakes which are adapted towork with specialized types of mechanical lifts and jack-type devices.Such structures are excessively expensive and again time consuming inadjustment and operation. Although the difficult prying work iseliminated, the cost of such stakes and equipment has made themunpractical.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved stake pullerwhich eliminates the extremely difiicult work normally associated withthe removal of stakes of the type described from the ground.

A further object of this invention is the provision of such a stakepuller which is extremely simple in construction and consequentlyinexpensive to manufacture.

A further object of this invention is the provision of such a stakepuller which may be utilized with stakes of conventional constru'ction.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of such stakepuller which accomplishes the removal of stakes very quickly.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of such a stakepuller which is strong, durable and free of adjustment and maintenancerequirements.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent to thoseskilled in the relevant arts upon reading the following specification inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the stake puller of this invention,positioned adjacent a stake driven into the ground;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the stake puller shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is aside view thereof; and- FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional viewtaken along the plane IV-IV of FIG. 3.

Briefly, this invention relates to a stake puller, comprising a basemember, a slot in said base member and an elongated handle extendingdirectly above the base member. The handle includes a hand grip lyinggenerally above the terminus of the slot in the base.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the reference numeral 1designates the stake puller of this invention. The stake puller 1includes a base 2 and a handle 10. The base 2 is made of heavy gaugesteel, preferably weighing approximately nine to thirteen pounds. The

3,211,240 Patented Oct. 12, 1965 ice base member is generallyrectangular and preferably flat in configuration. The slot 3 extendsinto the configuration of the base member, the terminus 4 of the slotlying generally at the center of the base 2, the word center referringto generally the center of gravity thereof.

The handle 10 is of generally inverted U-shape and extends directlyabove the base member 2. The handle It) includes a pair of legs 11 and12 and a bight portion 13. The ends of the legs 11 and 12 are secured tothe base 2 by suitable means such as welding. The bight portion 13 ofthe handle 10 forms a hand grip, the handle 1t) secured to the base 2such that the bight portion 13 lies generally above the terminus 4 ofthe slot 3 in the base member 2. It will be noted that the legs 11 and12 of the handle 10 are elongated, the purpose of which will beexplained hereinafter.

In operation, the workman using the structure grasps the bight portion13 of the handle 10 with one hand. Thus, the line of the users arm liesdirectly above the terminus 4 of the slot 3. The weighted base 2 isswung against the shank 21 of the stake 20, the slot 3 receiving theshank 21, abutting against the terminus 4 of the slot 3. Some stakes 20have heads 22 formed thereon. Even those stakes which do not have headspreformed thereon, obtain heads 22 after being pounded in the groundsince the steel is usually slightly malleable under the weight of thehammer. The weighted stake puller 1 is then lifted upwardly along theshank of the stake, the top of the base member 2 slamming against thehead 22 of the stake 20. Due to the fact that maximum force is appliedto the head 22 of the stake 20, it is removed from the ground with onesuch action, without the necessity of any preliminary prying action toloosen it. Maximum force is applied because the users arm in a standingposition may extend in a straight line extending along the elongatedlegs 11 and 12 of the handle 10. Additionally, this line of force isapplied directly to the head of the stake since the terminus of the slotis directly below the grip of the handle. Thus, as the workmansshoulders rise, all of the force is exerted in and htrough a straightline to the head of the stake, the weighted base member providing theimpetus needed to remove the stake from the ground.

It will be seen that this invention has provided a stake puller whichessentially eliminates the ditdcult work associated with the removal ofstakes from the ground. No preliminary prying force need be exerted onthe stake. A simple upward movement of the shoulders of the workmanapplies the force necessary to the head of the stake to cleanly removeit from the ground. No special type of stake is required. The stakepuller itself is extremely simple in construction, thus requiring noupkeep or adjustment, and being inexpensive. A stake puller has beenprovided which has thus not added noticeably to the cost ofconstruction, yet eliminating the difiicult labor, time and expensenormally associated with removal of stakes from the ground.

While only one embodiment of this invention has been shown anddescribed, it may be possible to practice the invention through theutilization of certain other embodiments without departing from thespirit and scope thereof. Such other embodiments are to be included aspart of this invention unless the following claims specifically stateotherwise.

We claim:

1. A stake puller, comprising: a base member; a slot in said basemember; an elongated handle extending directly above and attached tosaid base member; and said handle having a hand grip lying generallyabove the terminus of said slot in said base.

2. A stake puller, comprising: a weighted base member; a slot in saidbase member, said slot terminating generally at the center of said basemember; an elongated handle 6) extending directly above and attached tosaid base member; and said handle having a hand grip lying generallyabove the terminus of said slot in said base.

*3. A stake puller, comprising: a base member; a slot in said basemember; a generally inverted U-shaped handle extending directly abovesaid base member; the ends of the legs of said handle secured to saidbase member; and the bight portion of said handle forming a hand gripand lying generally above the terminus of said slot in said base.

4. A stake puller, comprising: a weighted base member; a slot in saidbase member; a generally inverted U-shaped handle extending directlyabove said base member; the ends of the legs of said handle secured tosaid base member; and the bight portion of said handle forming a handgrip and lying generally above the terminus of said slot in said base.

5. A stake puller, com'pni-sing: a weighted base member; a slot in saidbase member, said slot terminating generally at the center of said basemember; a generally inverted U-shaped handle extending directly abovesaid base member; the ends of the legs of said handle secured to saidbase member; and the bight portion of said handle forming a hand gripand lying generally above the terminus of said slot in said base.

6. A stake puller, comprising: a weighted base member; a slot in saidbase member; a generally inverted, elongated U-shaped handle extendingdirectly above said base member; the ends of the legs of said handlesecured to said base member; and the blight portion of said handleforming a hand grip and lying generally above the terminus of said slotin said base.

7. A stake puller, comprising: a weighted, generally flat base member; aslot in said base member; an elongated generally inverted U-shapedhandle extending directly above said base member; the ends of the legsof said handle secured to said base member; and the bight portion ofsaid handle fiorming a hand grip and lying generally above the terminusof said slot in said base.

8. A stake puller, comprising: a weighted generally flat base member; aslot in said base member, said slot terminating generally near thecenter of said base member; an elongated generally inverted U-shapedhandle extending directly above said base member; the ends of the legsof said handle secured to said base member; and the bight portion ofsaid handle forming a hand grip and lying generally above the terminusof said slot in said base.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS BROUGHTON G.DURHAM, Primary Examiner.

1. A STAKE PULLER, COMPRISING: A BASE MEMBER; A SLOT IN SAID BASEMEMBER; AN ELONGATED HANDLE EXTENDING DIRECTLY ABOVE AND ATTACHED TOSAID BASE MEMBER; AND SAID HANDLE HAVING A HAND GRIP LYING GENERALLYABOVE THE TERMINUS OF SAID SLOT IN SAID BASE.